Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~2~31S3
ICIN& APPARATUS FOR PALLET S~PPORTED CARTONS
Fi~ld of the Invention
This invention relates generally to icing equipment and
more particularly to an icing apparatus for automatically icing
rows and columns of car~ons containing perishable foods stacked
on a pallet without having to remove the cartons from the pallet.
Back round of the Invention
g
Harvested fresh vegetables are normally packed in car~ons
provided with convenient hand hold openings on opposite ends.
For example, fresh broccoli might const~tute a typical perishable
food handled in this manner. In order to preserve the freshness
of the vegetables during shipment to various locations, the cartons
~hemselves are normally treated with liquid ice and towards this
end, there have been provided a number of systems fQr icing the
cartons.
An example of an automatic liquid ice system such as dis-
cussed above is shown in my U.S. Patent 4,24g,388 issued February
10, 1981. In the system disclosed in this patent, cartons are
passed along a conveyor belt and icing probes located in an over-
head structure in;ect liquid ice into the contents of the box. As
the box or carton moves down the conveyor belt, it is appropriately
covered and ready for shipment.
The cartons of perishable food are normally dimensioned to
be easily stacked in rows and columns on a pallet. As a result,
a conventional forklift can be used for trans~erring the cartons
from one location to another by simply lifting the pallet. However,
i~
~2131~3
when liquid ice is to be applied to the various cartons, it has
always heretofore been necessary to unload the c~rtons from the
pallet and place them on a conveyor such as described in my above
U.S. Patent or individually ice each of the cartons. The ice
must then be.replaced on a pallet or on another pallet for trans-
ference to a railroad car or truck for shipment.
Brief Descri tion of the Present Invention
P
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention contemplates
a vastly improved liquid icing system for cartons wherein several
such cartons can be iced simultaneously while actually stacked on
a pallet so that the time and labor involved in removing and re-
stacking the cartons on a pallet in order to ice the same are
eliminated.
More particularly, and in its broadest aspect, the apparatus
includes a frame structure for receiving a pallet with cartons
s~acked thereon. At least one carriage is mounted to one side
of the rame for up and down movement and at least two liquid ice-
injecting probes in horizontally spaced relationship correspondingto the spacing between the hand hold openings in the adjacent
cartons in a row on the pallet are mounted to the carriage for
in and out movement towards and away from the cartons on the pallet.
By this arrangement, cartons in a row on the pallet can be simul-
taneously iced by injecting ice from the probes after moving theprobes inwardly to pass through the hand-held openings in adjacent
cartons, thereafter the probes being withdrawn and the carriage
moved in a vertical di.rection to position the probes for reception
in the hand held openings of the next cartons in vertically spaced
position from the first mentioned cartons in the columns of cartons
53
so that when inward movement is again effective, the next
cartons can be simultaneously iced.
The above described operation can be carried out with-
out having to remove any of the cartons from the pallet, the
pallet itself being positioned with the cartons in the frame and
removed from the frame by a simple forklift.
Brief Description of The Drawings
A better understanding of this invention will be had
by now referring to a preferred embodiment thereof as illus-
trated in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view partly schematic in
form illustrating the icing apparatus of this invention;
FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the apparatus
looking in the direction of the arrows 2-2 of FIGURE 1 after a
pallet holding cartons has been received in the apparatus; and,
FIGURE 3 is a sequencing diagram useful in explaining
the operation of the apparatus.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
Referring first to FIGURE l there is indicated gener-
ally by the arrow 10 in the upper left corner the icing appara-
tus preparatory to receiving a plurality of cartons indicated
generally by the numeral 11 of perishable food stacked in rows
and columns on a pallet 12 shown in the lower left portion of
FIGURE l. The apparatus lO, itself, includes the frame struc-
ture 13 incorporating a top platform 14 in the upper portion of
the frame as shown. Platform power means in the form of a
hydraulic cylinder A is provided to raise and lower the platform
such that after the cartons 11 have been moved into the frame,
the platform 14 can be lowered into engagement with the top rows
of cartons on the pallet to stabilize the columns and rows.
~31~3
Left and right carriages indicated at 15 and 16 are
mounted for up and down movement to the left and right sides of
the frame structure as by vertical rails 17 and 1~ respectively.
Carriage power means B is supported on the top of the frame 13
as shown and may include cables 19 and 20 wound on a drum 21 and
connecting to the carriages 15 and 16 for effecting up and down
movement of these carriages.
Each of the carriages 15 and 16 in FIGURE 1 carry left
and right probe assemblies 22 and 23, each of the probe assem-
blies including a horizontal row of liquid ice injecting probessuch as indicated at 24 for the probe assembly 23. The spacing
between these probes is indicated at d in FIGURE 1 for the probe
assembly 23 and corresponds to the spacing between the hand hold
openings 25 for the cartons 11. This spacing is also indicated
by the letter d in FIGURE 1. It will be understood that the
probe assembly 22 for the left hand carriage 15 in FIGURE 1 in-
cludes a row of probes corresponding to the probes 24 on the
right hand probe assembly 23, the probes on the probe assembly
22 not being visible in the view of FIGURE 1. Actually, the
left and right carriages 15 and 16 and left and right probe
assemblies 22 and 23 of FIGURE 1 are mirror ima~es of each other
and thus a detailed description of one will suffice for both.
Probe assembly power means may take the form of a
hydraulic cylinder C for moving the probe assemblies such as the
assembly 22 shown in FIGURE 1 towards and away from cartons re-
ceived within the f.rame 13. In the particular embodiment illus-
trated, this movement
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involves appropriate conduit means for pasæing liquid ice from a
source to the probe assemblies.
Still referring to the lef~ carriage means 15 and probe
assembly 22, the above referred to conduit means takes the form
5 of a main conduit 26 for rece~ving liquid ice from a source as
indicated b~ the dashed lines and returning liquid ice to the source
Cooperating with main conduit 26 i5 a branch conduit 27 connecting
to the main conduit at spaced points 28 and 29 so as to be in
parallel therewith. It is to be understood that the liquid ice
injectingprobes in the probe assembly 22 extend from the sides of
the branch conduit 27 50 that any liquid ice in this conduit will
be passed through all of the probes simultaneously. To provide for
the control of liquid ice to the probes from the branch conduit~
there are included valve means in the form of a main valve D
in the main line 26 between the spaced points 28 and 29 and first
and second valves E and F in the branch line between the spaced
points 28 and 29 and the start and end of the horizontal row
of extending probes from the probe as~embly 22. With this
arrangement, ice can be delivered to the probes by closing the
main valve D and opening at least the first valve E. When liquid
ice is not to be injected, preferably both valves E and ~ are
closed and valve D is opened to simply recirculate the liquid ice.
Still referring to the carriage 15 and probe assembly 22 of
FIGURE 1, it will be noted that the mounting for the probe assembly
heretofore referred to as enabling in and out movement of this
prcsbe assembly is accomplished by the provision of a jc,urnaling
sleeve 30 surrounding the main conduit 26 between the points 28 and
29, this journalling sleeve 30 being secured to the carriage 15
so that it will move up and down with the carriage carrying
therewith the main conduit 26 and branch conduit 27. A piston rod
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lZ~l31~3
31 is shown extending from the probe assembly power means in the
form of the hydraulic cylindar C so that when this piston rod is
extended, the probe assembly 22 will essentially swing or pivot
about the axis of the main conduit 26 as a consequence of the
supporting journaling sleeve 30.
The right hand probe assembly 23 in FIGURE 1 is similarly
mounted for swinging or pivoting movemen~ about the corresponding
main conduit.
The appartus of FIGURE 1 is completed by the provision of
a sequencing means indicated schematically by the block 32 in the
upper right hand portion of the drawing. Es~entially, the sequen-
cing means operates the platform power means A, the carriage
power mean~ B, the probe assembly power means C, and the various
valves D, E, and F, all as indicated by the dashed lines connecting
the sequencing means 32 to these components. The sequential
operation is such that first rows of cartons on the pallet will
be simuItaneously iced and then the next vertically spaced rows
in the col~mns will be automatically simultaneously iced, and so
forth until all cartons on the pallet have been iced.
All of ~he fsreg~ing can better be understood by now
referring to the ront ~levational view of FIGURE 2. As shown,
the probe assemblies 22 and 23 are shown in solid lines in their
~ut positions or retracted positions. When they are moved inward-
ly by action of the power means C, they assume the dotted line
or phantom line position illustrated in FIGURE 2, the same swinging
or pivoting by means of the journalling sleeve 30 about the main
conduit 26.
Also illustrated by means of phantom lines in FIGURE 2 are
the movements of left and right carriages 15 and 16 in up and down
directions. For example, the carriages 15 and 16 are shown in
1213~
phantom lines at 15' and 16' in a substantially lower position
preparatory to inJecting liquid ice in the nextto bottom rows of
cartons 11 on the p'allet 12.
; Referring once again to the solid line showing of the
probe assemblies 22 and 23, it wlll be noted that ~he probes
themselves such as the probe 24 may extend at a slightly down-
wardly inclined angle when the probes are retracted so that when
they swing about the ax~s of the main conduit 26 or axis of the
sleeve 30, they will penetr~te into the hand hold openings of the
cartons in a substantially normal or s~raight-in direction.
When in~ecting liquid ice into the various cartons, there
can be some overflow or spillage and any cold water or liquid
ice itself is collected on the bottom of the structure as by a
collecting tank 33. ~n appropriate cold water return pump shown
at 34 in both FIGURES 1 and 2 can be optionally provided for
returning this excess spilled liquid to the source.
Referring now to FI5URE 3, there is shown a simple,sequencing
diagram which will make the operation of the structure of FIGURES
1 and 2 clear.
Referring to the top diagram, the same represents the
raising and lowering action of the power cylindar A for the plat-
form l~. Slmilarly, the next diagram illustrates the on/off
status of the power source B which might constitute an electrical
motor for driving the drum 21 in an appropriate d~rection to raise
~5 or lower the carr~ages 15 and 16. The third diagram illustrates
~he in and out status of the probe assemblies 22 and 23 as
controlled by the hydraulic cylinder B while the fourth, fifth
and sixth diagrams illustrate the condition of the valves D, E,
and F, respectively.
Still referrlng to FIGURE 3, when a pallet contsining
123L3153
cartons is first received within the apparatus, there may be
a stack which can vary from four to seven car~ons high. In
order that the cartons can be appropriately stabilized, once
they are recei~ed within the apparatus, the first operation is
to lower the platform 14 as by operation of the power source A
to engage the topmost row of cartons and thus stabillze the
positions of the cartons on the palle~. This operation is
illustrated at time Tl, the platform 14 engaging the top row of
cartons a~ this point in time.
Next, such as at time T2 the motor B is energized to position
the carriages 15 and 16 in a manner such that the probe assemblies
22 and 23 are just opposed to the hand hold openings of the
top rows of cartons 11. The power source B is then turned off
so that the carriages will remain in this initially set position.
Next, the power source in the form of the cylind~æ C is
actuated to cause the probe assemblies 22 and 23 to move inwardly
as at time T3. The probes will thus penetrate into the rows of
cartons.
Next, the valve D ls closed at time T4 and simultaneously,
the valves E and F are both opened as at time T4 as indicated.
Ice slurry passing through the main conduit is thus forced into
the branch conduit 27 described in FIGURE 1 and out the
various probes 24 connecting to the branch conduit. Any excess
ice qontinues along the branch conduit back to the main conduit
and is returned to the source. The pressure of ice extruded from
the probes or nozzles can be controlled by the degree of opening
of the second valve F. In some instances, this valve could be
compl~etely c~osed so that all liquid ice will be delivered to the
probes and thus into the cartons.
Still referring to FIGURE 3, a~ time T5, the main valve D
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~2~3~53
is opened and the first and second valves E and F are simultane-
ously closed, the length of time that the valves are functional
being only a few seconds; that is, sufficient to assure that an
adequate amount of liquid ice is injected into the cartons.
At time T6, the power source C is operated to retract
or move out the probe assemblies and at time T7 the power source
B is operated to now lower the carriages to the next row of
cartons to be treated. When the carriages reach the next row at
time T8, then the motor B is turned off and the carriages held
in this position. Thereafter, the power source C is again oper-
ated to move the probe assemblies into engagement with the sides
of the cartons so that the probes penetrate through the hand
hold openings. This operation is indicated at T9 and thereafter
the valves are again operated at T10 and returned to their
original positions at Tll. In other words, the cycle simply re-
peats for the subsequent rows until all rows of cartons have
been treated.
After the lowermost row has been treated as described
above, the platform 14 is raised upwardly to release the cartons
and the pallet 12 is removed with a forklift together with the
cartons still on the pallet. The carriages 15 and 16 are re-
turned to their uppermost positions and the structure is ready
to receive a next pallet load of stacked cartons.
As mentioned heretofore, any excess liquid ice is col-
lected in the tank 33 and removed by the return pump 34 to the
source.
From all of the foregoing, it will thus be evident
that the present invention has provided a greatly improved icing
apparatus which enables the icing of cartons without having to
remove them ~rom a stacked position on a pallet.
_g_
lZ131~3
Various changes falling with the scope and spirit of
this invention will occur to those skilled in the art. The icing
apparatus accordingly is not to be thought of as limited to the
exact embodiment shown merely for illustrative purposes.
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